ISLAMABAD:
The chairman of a Senate panel has called for a ban on all new projects under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) in the face of a growing number of “forward-looking” projects.
A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Special Initiatives was held on Friday under the chairmanship of Senator Qurat-ul-Ain Marri.
The committee was earlier briefed about PSDP funds allocated for Punjab projects.
The Punjab government has requested Rs 150 billion from the federal government through the PSDP. The Ministry of Finance stated that details of allocated funds for the third quarter have not yet been received.
The Planning Secretary informed the panel that Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal approved PSDP fund allocations a day earlier and the details have been sent and will reach the Finance Ministry soon.
Speaking on the occasion, Marri said that there should be a ban on new PSDP projects due to the increasing submission of PSDP projects. She said that the minister should attend the committee meeting to give a briefing on the “Uraan Pakistan” initiative. “The minister needs to address several unanswered questions,” she added.
The committee was told that a total of 170 new projects have been included in the PSDP, but only 25 projects have been issued NOCs so far.
The committee directed the Punjab government to include its share in PSDP projects. The panel was informed that the ministries have used less of their allocated budgets.
The Investment Council has spent 7% and the Climate Ministry 12% of their budgets in six months. The Ministry of Narcotics Control and the Ministry of Religious Affairs have not spent anything in relation to their grants.
The committee later directed all ministries to expedite PSDP budget utilization.
The PSDP is a key framework used by the Government of Pakistan to finance and manage development projects and initiatives in various sectors across the country.
PSDP funds are allocated to develop infrastructure, improve public services and support economic growth. It focuses on areas such as health, education, transport, energy, water resources and agriculture.
